Training Update

I haven't posted a training update in a while so I guess I should. I haven't posted because I really haven't done too much lately since it's been so snowy, icy and cold. I know that's horrible since I have less than four weeks until the half marathon! That makes my stomach fall to even type that.

I did get a mini-trampoline so I can jump on that for the days it's too icy or cold to run outside. And apparently now they are called "rebounders," who knew? It's better than nothing, but it does get a little bit boring. I just couldn't see spending money on a tread mill that I may never use again after this race. The tramp the boys love to use, so even if I don't do any more races they would get use out of the trampoline.

I'm still doing a big run on the weekends and this weekend I completed 7.8 miles, so I'm definitely getting some mileage, but I've still a ways to go to be ready. I've decided I'll be completely satisfied with just finishing the half and not beat myself up about how much I walk or jog.

I had wanted to be able to jog for two or so miles and then take a walk break, but really, at this point, I don't care. I don't want to be the last one finishing so I'll jog until I need a break and then walk until I'm ready to jog again and just go with that. This is not an ideal time in my life to be training (I'm not sure when would be) and I don't love running so I'm not super committed to training.

I do have a funny story about this weekend's run though. I enjoy running on the bike bath but with it being so icy some places have been dangerous, however we've had a big warm-up this weekend so everything was melting. On our way home from church Tim and I looked at one stretch of the path that is down by the river to see if it was flooded. They just put in that section so I'm not familiar with when it floods. It was clear so I was pleased about that.

My plan was to just start from home; I'd have to take the road for about .8 miles until I could meet up with the bike path. I didn't like running on the side of the road, but it wasn't too bad. I got to the bike path and it was clear so all was good.

I was on the path down by the river and the river was still a solid sheet of ice, so it was peaceful and quiet. I thought it was odd since we had pointed out to the boys on the way to church how the ice on the river was all busted up-not moving but busted up; this ice was still all intact. My intention was to run by the river until it met up with the path that is the old railroad and then take it because I knew the path by the river was flooded farther upriver. However I round a corner and realize that the path is now flooded between me and the old railroad path. I couldn't tell how deep is was so I kept going to see if I could tell how deep it was once I was closer.

I get right up on it and realize it's probably over 4 inches deep at the deepest part and goes for 30 feet. I tried to go around it on the hill beside the bike path but it was snow covered still and way too steep. There was no way out unless I ran back about half a mile and I decided I didn't want to do that (in retrospect, why not?) so I held up my sweats and ran through. It was so cold!!!! I thought maybe I was going to freeze to death, but I still had six miles to go so I pushed on. Once I got to the adjoining path I found a bench, sat down, took my shoe off and squeezed water out of my socks. Nice.

On my way back I obviously knew not to take the bike path for that section so I stuck to the sidewalk, but I could see that section from the sidewalk, and it was bone dry! Apparently what happened was the ice downriver hadn't broken up yet so all of the water and ice started backing up, which created a puddle for me to run though, but while I was on my run enough pressure built up to force it to break up downriver too and then it all pushed through and the water I had to run through receded.

Good times!